‘Disappointing’ decline in people using libraries
There has been a “disappointing” decline in the number of people using Perth and Kinross libraries.
Culture Perth and Kinross chief executive Helen Smout said people had found alternatives to using libraries during lockdown.
But she insisted the facilities still had a “vital” role to play in communities.
The chief executive of the council’s armslength external organisation provided an update to Perth and Kinross Council’s scrutiny committee on September 15.
While the return of visitors to Culture Perth and Kinross museums has been comparable with other parts of the country, the return to libraries has been described as “slow”.
Ms Smout said: “We are seeing a very varied return across all eight open venues.
“Overall it’s about 33 per cent at [Perth’s] AK Bell in particular.
“That’s a bit disappointing. We know that people have found alternatives to library use during lockdown but we’d like to see more of our communities engaging with the services.”
There are currently eight Culture Perth and Kinross libraries open.
Councillors were told the remaining five smaller libraries would re-open from November.
In August 2021, AK Bell and Blairgowrie libraries had 14,233 visitors between them. In August 2019 ,that figure was 43,718.
Figures from 2009/10 to 2019/20 show there has been a 40.6 per cent decline across all libraries in the number of active borrowers.
Over that same 10-year period footfall has declined by 32.4 per cent and book loans have fallen by 46.3 per cent.
In 2019/20 almost 11 per cent of the Perth and Kinross population were active borrowers and almost 13 per cent were active library users.
Ms Smout told the committee that Culture Perth and Kinross was seeking to re-engage with its audience to encourage them back.
In-person activities such as Bookbug rhymetime sessions have restarted and were described as an “excellent place” for parents and carers to build social contacts in their local communities.
Ms Smout said they had seen a lot of “relief and pleasure” in parents’ faces who attended after being isolated during lockdown.
A number of new services have been introduced. These include hubs, wireless printing, spaces for work and learning and Hublets – tablet devices people can even use to take part in online interviews and meetings.
The chief executive said the last 18 months had highlighted how “vital” a role libraries can play.
One returning customer said: “The library staff have often been the only social contact I have. I had no one during lockdown and I cannot tell you how happy it makes me to be back and see everyone again.”
Another Perth and Kinross library user said: “Everything went online, I can only get online at the library and it was closed. I couldn’t even check my emails.”
While there has been a 118 per cent increase in the issue of eBooks this is still less than 10 per cent of Culture Perth and Kinross Libraries’ overall book issues.